Bio

J.R. Martinez is an actor, best-selling author, motivational speaker, advocate, podcast host, and wounded U.S. Army veteran. After high school, J.R. joined the army. In September of 2002, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division. In March of 2003, J.R. was deployed to Iraq. On April 5, he was driving a humvee in Karbala when his front left tire hit a roadside bomb. The three other soldiers were ejected from the burning vehicle, but J.R. was trapped inside. He suffered smoke inhalation and severe burns to 34 percent of his body. He spent 34 months in recovery at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. He has undergone 34 different surgeries since his injury. Since then, he’s traveled the world as a speaker, and has had the privilege of speaking with troops at various bases around the world, as well as serving as the keynote speaker for Delta, Wells Fargo, Verizon, State Farm, General Motors, Red Cross, and numerous other Fortune 500 companies, nonprofits and universities. His story may be unique, but his message is universal: change isn’t bad if you are willing to adapt. Your path in life is decided by your own ability to Adapt & Overcome℠. In addition to his mirror-ball winning season of ''Dancing with the Stars'' and his arc as ''Brot Monroe'' on All My Children, J.R has been featured on many shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes, Ellen, The View, The Tonight Show, GMA, CBS Nightly News, CNN, Fox News, HLN, and Univision programming. J.R. is the author of the New York Times best-selling book Full of Heart: My Story of Survival, Strength, and Spirit, a memoir about how he was able to take his own personal tragedy and turn it into an inspiration for others. As a firm believer in giving back, his dedication to the nonprofit world is something about which he is very passionate. J.R. serves on the board of A Call to Men and is an ambassador for Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, No Barriers, Movember, and Debra of America. He resides in Austin, Texas with his wife, Diana, his daughter, Lauryn, baby son Leo, and their beloved dogs, Romeo + Ellie. In addition to his speaking engagements, J.R. is the creator, host, and producer of ''Rebirth,'' a podcast dedicated to sharing unique stories.